Auschwitched

There's been a little to-do about TV Land's proposal to erect a statue of Bewitched character Samantha Stevens in Salem, Mass. This seems pretty much like a totally schlocky idea that no city outside of Lake George or Niagara Falls would even consider doing. And there is some opposition, but not (necessarily) to the schlockiness of it all:

• The Salem witch trials ended with the unconscionable executions of 19 people as a result of a mass hysteria completely cut off from all societal norms and morals. Thus, as astutely noted by a former member of the Salem Historic District Commission, making light of the situation by erecting Elizabeth Montgomery in the town square is "like TV Land going to Auschwitz and proposing to erect a statue of Colonel Klink." The SHDC, though, appears to have pulled a Biden and it seems that this quote was totally plagiarized from online cartoonist Choadwarrior on May 5. Shame on you SHDC! Generate your own clever quotes! Of course, it's also possible that Choadwarrior plagiarized someone else, or even the SHDC, in a chicken-and-the-egg conundrum. Regardless, I declare Auschwitz-Clink an apt, if overblown, analogy.
• But perhaps the best complaint is that the series was set in Connecticut, not Salem. There were a couple of "Very special" episodes held in Salem, but so what? That's like putting a statue of Mike Seaver in Paris, Cindy Brady in the Grand Canyon, or Joey Tribbiani in Las Vegas.

Finally, one would think that based on schlockiness alone, this would not be an oft-repeated TV Land stunt. But you would be wrong. While I vaguely remember that Mary Tyler Moore christened her statue in Minneapolis, I was surprised to learn of the existence of a TV Land Ralph Kramden statue in Manhattan and an Andy and Opie statue in North Carolina. I am also surprised to learn that Mayberry is apparently in North Carolina. I figured it was in Arkansas or Alabama. If Manhattan has a statue, then I guess these things aren't really horrible. I really hope Pittsburgh gets a TV Land statue -- the only possible contender I imagine is a Mr. Belvedere statue. Someone should start a campaign!